Arch rest for footwear



Oct. 12, 1937. G. w. COBB 2,095,488

` ARCH REST FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Aug. 1o, 19se` l? 5 Ffa u nnentor (Ittorneg shoe with my arch rest in Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE A ARCH REST FOR FOOTWEAR George W. Cobb, Pacific Beach, Calii. Application August 1li, 1936, Serial No. 95,119

1 Claim.

My invention relates to an arch rest to be used in connection with footwear, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a yieldable member which is positioned in the arch between the hee1 and the sole at the ball of the foot, a portion of which extends downwardly lower than the face of the heel or sole to provide a support which engages the ground between the hee1 and sole and the foot at the arch forming an arch rest;

Second, to provide a structure of this class which provides a fulcrum or pivot point at the arch of the foot that is slightly yieldable;

Third, to provide an arch rest of this class which extends below the level of the heel and sole approximately one quarter of an inch and yieldable so that when the weight is brought to bear, the arch rest is compressed slightly so that the heel and sole practically rest on the ground;

Fourth, to provide an arch rest of this class which may be readily applied in connection with footwear now in use or may be readily applied to new footwear;

Fifth, to provide an arch rest of this class which is very simple and economical ,of construction, easy to apply, ecient in its action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my inventionV consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts and portions as Will be hereinafter described in'detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe showing my arch rest positioned in operative relation therewith; Fig. 2 is a bottom view of a position thereon; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view in a slightly modified form.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

My arch rest preferably consists of a piece of live relatively yieldable rubber I and is made to fit the arch of the sole in front of the heel 3 of the footwear and extends forwardly to near the ball of the foot 4. It is provided at the central portion with a downwardly extending relatively ovaloid portion 2 upon which the main portion of the weight rests when the wearer stands ilat footed on the ground, thus compressing the portion 2 and raising the outer surface member I so that it is substantially flush with a straight line between the face of the heel and the face of the sole. It is preferred to secure this member I to 5 the arch portion in front of the heel by cement or other suitable material. Thus in walking the weight rst bears on this member I and the foot has a slight tendency to rock on this member.

However, the member I particularly the extended surface, so that a large portion of the weight is taken on the arch of the foot.

In the modified formy of construction shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the heel and arch support 15 are all made in -one integral member of slightly yieldable rubber or other similar material, and the arch portion, however, extends downwardly to provide a central portion which serves as a yieldable fulcrum under the arch of the foot. 20 This modified structure is more applicable to application on shoes when they are manufactured, but may be applied by removing the heel and interchanging one of these combined heel and arch rests as shown in Fig. 4 either by cementing or 25 securing by nails in the usual manner for supporting the heel on the shoe. i

It will also be noted that in cases where the shank of the sole in front of the heel is slightly rounded transversely that the upper surface of 30 the arch rest may also be curved to conform to the shank portion at this point.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement nor to the modifications thereof, but desire toinclude in the scope of my invention, the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an arch rest for footwear, a yieldable mem.- ber arranged and shaped to completely fill the space below the shank of footwear and be secured thereto, said yieldable member extending some distance below the level of the base of the heel and sole, said extending portion being located centrally at the lower side of said shank portion, and oblong with its major axis longitudinal of the shoe and receding upwardly in curved form in all directions from its apex.

GEORGE W. coma.4

is sufficiently yieldable, 10 

